Erythrocyte, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in hypervitaminotic A rats and their modification by dietary protein.

Rats fed excess vitamin A showed decreased body weight gain and protein efficiency ratio. In rats fed low protein vitamin A level increased in liver but with an associated decrease in plasma. These changes were reversed in high protein fed state. The amount of protein in diet had little effect on haemoglobin level in erythrocyte, but excess vitamin A in diet significantly decreased haemoglobin level in erythrocyte. Lipid peroxidation (LP) increased in rats fed low protein and decreased in high protein fed rats. Rats fed high protein and excess vitamin A showed minimum level of LP. Result showed that high protein in diet increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes, catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and that excess vitamin A supplementation functions synergistically with high protein in diet to increase antioxidant enzymes level.